Vanessa Bryant Celebrates UConn Title, 'Gigi Would've Loved Being There'

UConn is a national champion once again, and perhaps nobody was more proud of the new title than Vanessa Bryant -- whose daughter, Gianna, absolutely adored the Huskies.

Kobe's wife took to her Instagram page to congratulate Geno Auriemma and Co. after they destroyed South Carolina, 82-59, on Sunday in Tampa ... and wrote that Gigi would've been so happy with the way the women's basketball team hoisted yet another NCAA tournament.

"Gigi would've loved being there with you," she said ... before adding a quote from Gianna that read, "When you think you can't, UCONN."

She put down two emojis as well -- a broken heart one and full heart one.

UConn, of course, is where many believe Gigi would've ended up if not for the 2020 helicopter crash that tragically took her and Kobe's lives ... as her NBA legend father once said she was "hellbent on" attending the university.

In fact, after she passed away at 13 years old, UConn left a customized No. 2 jersey for her on one of their bench chairs ... and captioned a photo of it, "Mambacita is forever a Husky."